Best cities for a Paralegal
The best cities for paralegals are Oakland, CA, Philadelphia, PA, and Washington, DC, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for paralegals vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for paralegals in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a paralegal or considering a move, this list of the best cities for paralegals to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for paralegals. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a paralegal. While the absolute best city for paralegals is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for paralegals in 2024.
If you're looking for a Paralegal job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for Paralegals In 2025
1. Oakland, CA
Paralegal Jobs in OaklandTotal Paralegal jobs: 18 Average annual salary: $69,206 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location quotient: 1.70 2. Philadelphia, PA
Paralegal Jobs in PhiladelphiaTotal Paralegal jobs: 106 Average annual salary: $51,391 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location quotient: 1.97 3. Washington, DC
Paralegal Jobs in WashingtonTotal Paralegal jobs: 181 Average annual salary: $64,126 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location quotient: 2.83 4. Saint Paul, MN
Paralegal Jobs in Saint PaulTotal Paralegal jobs: 42 Average annual salary: $51,166 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location quotient: 1.97 5. Chicago, IL
Paralegal Jobs in ChicagoTotal Paralegal jobs: 167 Average annual salary: $54,093 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location quotient: 1.52 6. Gilbert, AZ
Paralegal Jobs in GilbertTotal Paralegal jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $48,391 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location quotient: 2.23 7. Los Angeles, CA
Paralegal Jobs in Los AngelesTotal Paralegal jobs: 147 Average annual salary: $58,728 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location quotient: 1.54 8. Denver, CO
Paralegal Jobs in DenverTotal Paralegal jobs: 135 Average annual salary: $54,967 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location quotient: 1.44 9. Seattle, WA
Paralegal Jobs in SeattleTotal Paralegal jobs: 105 Average annual salary: $57,832 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location quotient: 1.12 10. Aurora, CO
Paralegal Jobs in AuroraTotal Paralegal jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $54,956 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location quotient: 1.29
Choose from 10+ customizable paralegal resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use paralegal resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your paralegal resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for paralegals
- Oakland, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Washington, DC
- Saint Paul, MN
- Chicago, IL
- Gilbert, AZ
- Los Angeles, CA
- Denver, CO
- Seattle, WA
- Aurora, CO
Detailed list of the best cities for a Paralegal
Rank  | City | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $69,206 | $44,000 | 420,005 | 18 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,391 | $34,000 | 1,567,872 | 106 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $64,126 | $42,000 | 681,170 | 181 |
| 4 | Saint Paul, MN | $51,166 | $35,000 | 302,398 | 42 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $54,093 | $36,000 | 2,704,958 | 167 |
| 6 | Gilbert, AZ | $48,391 | $33,000 | 237,133 | 6 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $58,728 | $39,000 | 3,976,322 | 147 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $54,967 | $39,000 | 693,060 | 135 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $57,832 | $39,000 | 704,352 | 105 |
| 10 | Aurora, CO | $54,956 | $39,000 | 361,710 | 20 |
| 11 | Riverside, CA | $57,940 | $39,000 | 324,722 | 22 |
| 12 | Lexington, KY | $45,103 | $30,000 | 318,449 | 9 |
| 13 | San Francisco, CA | $69,365 | $44,000 | 870,887 | 89 |
| 14 | Anchorage, AK | $54,075 | $45,000 | 298,192 | 7 |
| 15 | Lincoln, NE | $46,429 | $33,000 | 280,364 | 16 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,131 | $35,000 | 413,651 | 51 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $54,944 | $36,000 | 632,912 | 23 |
| 18 | Santa Ana, CA | $58,051 | $39,000 | 334,217 | 9 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $47,678 | $32,000 | 672,795 | 21 |
| 20 | Scottsdale, AZ | $48,501 | $33,000 | 246,645 | 13 |
| 21 | Fresno, CA | $65,779 | $42,000 | 522,053 | 5 |
| 22 | Sacramento, CA | $68,658 | $44,000 | 495,234 | 14 |
| 23 | Corpus Christi, TX | $47,232 | $31,000 | 325,733 | 3 |
| 24 | Phoenix, AZ | $48,534 | $33,000 | 1,615,017 | 58 |
| 25 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,150 | $33,000 | 303,625 | 20 |
| 26 | Portland, OR | $55,295 | $37,000 | 639,863 | 28 |
| 27 | Raleigh, NC | $44,719 | $30,000 | 458,880 | 73 |
| 28 | Fremont, CA | $68,884 | $44,000 | 233,136 | 11 |
| 29 | El Paso, TX | $48,031 | $33,000 | 683,080 | 4 |
| 30 | Mesa, AZ | $48,405 | $33,000 | 484,587 | 4 |
| 31 | San Antonio, TX | $47,063 | $31,000 | 1,492,510 | 30 |
| 32 | Houston, TX | $46,535 | $31,000 | 2,303,482 | 153 |
| 33 | Garland, TX | $45,700 | $32,000 | 234,943 | 3 |
| 34 | Boston, MA | $50,706 | $35,000 | 673,184 | 120 |
| 35 | Bakersfield, CA | $61,558 | $40,000 | 376,380 | 3 |
| 36 | New York, NY | $52,644 | $35,000 | 8,537,673 | 48 |
| 37 | San Jose, CA | $68,565 | $44,000 | 1,025,350 | 25 |
| 38 | Baltimore, MD | $52,927 | $35,000 | 614,664 | 69 |
| 39 | Chandler, AZ | $48,412 | $33,000 | 247,477 | 7 |
| 40 | Long Beach, CA | $58,292 | $39,000 | 470,130 | 5 |
| 41 | Dallas, TX | $45,793 | $32,000 | 1,317,929 | 84 |
| 42 | San Diego, CA | $56,735 | $38,000 | 1,406,630 | 85 |
| 43 | Stockton, CA | $68,558 | $44,000 | 307,072 | 1 |
| 44 | Newark, NJ | $52,413 | $35,000 | 281,764 | 16 |
| 45 | Irvine, CA | $57,912 | $39,000 | 266,122 | 23 |
| 46 | Miami, FL | $45,966 | $30,000 | 453,579 | 84 |
| 47 | Colorado Springs, CO | $55,014 | $39,000 | 465,101 | 9 |
| 48 | Nashville, TN | $42,494 | $29,000 | 660,388 | 27 |
| 49 | Reno, NV | $61,670 | $40,000 | 245,255 | 1 |
| 50 | Louisville, KY | $44,839 | $31,000 | 597,337 | 11 |
Highest paying cities for paralegals
| Rank | City | Avg. Paralegal Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $69,365 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $64,126 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $57,832 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $55,295 |
| 5 | Englewood, CO | $54,994 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $54,214 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $54,093 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $52,927 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $52,644 |
| 10 | Newark, NJ | $52,413 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,391 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $51,166 |
| 13 | McLean, VA | $50,738 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $50,706 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $50,175 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $48,534 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $47,130 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $47,063 |
| 19 | Tampa, FL | $46,170 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $45,103 |
Search for paralegal jobs
Loading...
Loading...
Updated January 8, 2025